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“All My Loving” by The Beatles is written in the key of D Major. It’s pop and rock style includes elements of British Invasion and Merseybeat. It shows a common chord progression modified with additional chords and modulation.

** The Beatles are well known for their creative and unusual use of chords and harmonies. In “Lucy in The Sky With Diamonds”, there is a clear example of their innovative harmonic vocabulary. They employ a variety of common, borrowed, and chromatic mediant chords to create a remarkable soundscape that complements the psychedelic theme of the song.

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“Rocket Man” by Elton John, released in 1972, is a melodic and harmonically sophisticated example of his pop/rock style. The piece is in the key of G, and the chord progression of Verse 2 introduces some harmonies that exploit john’s expertise in using extended and altered chords, which lend colorfulness and a feel of departure and return. The use of slash chords like G/B and D/F# creates a descending bass line that is very characteristic of pop and rock music, creating a sense of melodic movement within the chords themselves. Verse 2 is navigated skillfully between simplistic and complex harmonies.

“Somewhere Only We Know” by Keane is a pop/rock song written in the key of A Major, although the chord progression given seems to be transposed to the key of C Major. It is characterized by its use of repeated motifs and sequenced chord progressions to create a sense of familiarity and typical of the pop genre.

The chord progression in verse 2 of “Telepatia” by Kali Uchis is a jazz-influenced progression in the key of E minor. It features several extended chords, such as the Em9 and Gmaj7 used throughout, and a dominant chord, B7, which provides tension and resolution in the progression. The G/A chord, which is essentially an A11 chord without the 3rd, also gives the progression a sense of blending major and minor tonalities.

The Beatles – All My Loving – Verse 2

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Chord Progression

[‘Em’, ‘A7’, ‘D’, ‘Bm’, ‘G’, ‘Em’, ‘C’, ‘A7’, ‘Em’, ‘A7’, ‘D’, ‘Bm’, ‘G’, ‘A’, ‘D’]

Chord Progression Analysis

Here is the chord progression for Verse 2 with its full chord names and their Roman numerals:

– E Minor (‘Em’) – vi
– A Dominant 7th (‘A7’) – V7
– D Major (‘D’) – I
– B Minor (‘Bm’) – vi
– G Major (‘G’) – IV
– E Minor (‘Em’) – vi
– C Major (‘C’) – II
– A Dominant 7th (‘A7’) – V7
– E Minor (‘Em’) – vi
– A Dominant 7th (‘A7’) – V7
– D Major (‘D’) – I
– B Minor (‘Bm’) – vi
– G Major (‘G’) – IV
– A Major (‘A’) – V
– D Major (‘D’) – I

Borrowed chord:

The C Major chord is a borrowed chord from the parallel minor key, D minor.

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C Major ‘II’
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Similar Chord Progressions

A similar chord progression can be found in “Cherry Wine” by Hozier, and structured as follows:

– E Minor (‘Em’)
– A Dominant 7th (‘A7’)
– D Major (‘D’)
– B Minor (‘Bm’)
– G Major (‘G’)
– E Minor (‘Em’)
– C Major (‘C’)
– D Major (‘D’)

Another similar chord progression is in “Stand by Me” by Ben E. King, as follows:

– G Major (‘G’)
– E Minor (‘Em’)
– C Major (‘C’)
– D Major (‘D’)

Musical Analysis

“All My Loving” prominently features a walking bassline and 2-beat percussive pattern that emblematic of the Merseybeat sound popular in the early 1960s. In particular, the use of E minor and D Major tonalities within the verse sections provides a unique colouring to the piece, lending a melancholic and contemplative undertone to the otherwise upbeat pop structure.

Overall Analysis

“All My Loving” by The Beatles is a mid-tempo pop song written in the key of E minor for the verse and D Major for the bridge and outro, featuring a distinct, upbeat walking bassline. The grey, almost mournful verses, along with the brighter, major-toned bridges and chorus, create a juxtaposition of feelings within the piece. The bridge also highlights The Beatles’ use of secondary dominants and chromaticism. Concluding in the tonic key of D Major, the song has an interesting interplay between Em and D Major throughout, which could be perceived as a Em: i, VI, III, II and D: vi, V7, I, vi, IV, ii, I progression.

Style Analysis

In terms of songwriting style, the dominant 7th chords give the piece a bluesy feel, while the fast tempo and 4/4 time signature make the track firmly a pop tune. The Beatles’ frequent change of chords and use of minor and major tonalities within the same piece introduces a certain depth to the song, and is a common technique used by the band in many of their songs.

Chords in the Verse 2 section of All My Loving by The Beatles are:

[‘Em’, ‘A7’, ‘D’, ‘Bm’, ‘G’, ‘Em’, ‘C’, ‘A7’, ‘Em’, ‘A7’, ‘D’, ‘Bm’, ‘G’, ‘A’, ‘D’]